


(Un)Welcome Interruptions

by CelticRune



Series: did it hurt [4]
Category: Choice of Games, The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-01 03:11:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13989231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticRune/pseuds/CelticRune
Summary: Keiji has an unpleasant run-in with someone he'd been hoping to never see again. Fortunately for him, Tahir has his back.Includes the art this fic was based on!





	(Un)Welcome Interruptions

**Author's Note:**

> The amazing comic was drawn by SomethingSome (somescribblesblog.tumblr.com)! I saw it and just had to write something for it, and so this fic was spawned.

 

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“I didn’t think I would be seeing you here, handsome. What a _pleasant_ surprise.”

Keiji stiffens at the sound. No matter how long it’s been, when he hears that voice he always feels like he’s right back in college and making even worse decisions than usual. Like thinking that Bobby’s actually a decent human being. His shoulders hunch up defensively before he forces himself to relax, refusing to give him the satisfaction. Tahir throws him a worried look, clearly not buying the act.

“Can’t say the feeling is mutual,” Keiji grinds out through gritted teeth, the words dripping with venom. He rises out of his crouch with a fluidity he isn’t feeling, and cracks his knuckles before he turns to face Bobby. The asshole has the fucking gall to look as hot as ever, what with the easy, confident smile on his face and the infuriating arrogance that fits him like a glove.

“Now that’s a little harsh, don’t you think? Here I thought you would be happy to see me.” If it weren’t for the amount of time he’d spent watching Bobby like some sorta starstruck _idiot_ , he might have believed the wounded, faux-innocent tone to his words. As it is, Keiji has learned his lesson, and he’s fucking _done_ with being used.

He narrows his eyes, then clenches his jaw as Bobby’s smile twists into something sly and knowing, obviously pleased at getting under his skin. He clenches his fists and tries to resist the temptation of putting one of those fists through Bobby’s face. See if he still looks so fuckin’ smug with a broken nose. “Fuck off, Bobby. I’m not tellin’ you again,” he snaps, projecting all his anger into the threat in the hope that for once he’ll take a fucking hint and _listen_.

Bobby saunters closer, and Keiji’s nails bite into his palms near hard enough to bleed. He’s unfazed by Keiji’s anger, the damned smile almost indulgent now as he reaches out to lay a hand on his shoulder.

Keiji freezes, torn between flinching away and allowing the touch, and he hates himself for hesitating at all.

The decision is taken out of his hands when Bobby cries out in pain. Keiji stumbles a half-step back, his anger fading into shocked disbelief as he realises Tahir is right next to him (when had he even come that close?), bending the fingers of Bobby’s outstretched hand back far past the point of pain.

“Keep your fingers to yourself or _lose them_ ,” Tahir growls, the clipped, harsh words a sharp contrast to his usual cheerful friendliness. His temper has always flared hot and bright but he has a good enough handle on it that Keiji has rarely seen him truly angry. For him to snap like this over nothing in particular is… odd, and a little unsettling for reasons he can’t quite explain.

“Yes, yes! _Fuck_ , I think something’s broken.” Bobby’s pained yelps even out into angry muttering when Tahir lets go and he clutches his hand to his chest like a wounded bird. His acerbic glare is somewhat hampered by the shine of pained, unshed tears in his eyes, and he smooths out the rumpled sleeve of his jacket in an attempt to regain his composure.

Keiji doesn’t even look at him, his full focus on Tahir and the fierce anger that still clouds his expression. He doesn’t relax until Bobby wisely decides to pick his battles and beats a retreat. Then he lets out a breath all the way from his toes, the anger draining with it. An uncertain awkwardness is left to fill the silence

“Why’d you do that?” Keiji asks, his voice oddly distant even to his own ears.

Tahir flinches, then crosses his arms in a gesture equal parts defensive and nervous. “You didn’t look comfortable with him touching you. I.. didn’t really think,” he hedges awkwardly. Like he’s worried Keiji’s gonna… what, disapprove?

….Huh. That’s, well-

Alright then.

Keiji fits a cheerful smile onto his face and feigns a casual shrug. “You getting worried about me now, Salit?”

Tahir shoots him a surprised look, brows furrowed in a way Keiji doesn’t know how to read. “Yes?” he says, his tone making it more of a question than a statement. Like he can’t tell why Keiji’s even asking.

That.. wasn’t the answer he was expecting. Any smart retort he might’ve had dries up in his throat, and all he can manage is a faint “Oh”. The awkward silence returns with a vengeance and he looks away, unable to bear the soft look of what he now realises is concern. He cracks his knuckles and tries not to wince at how loud it is as he struggles for something to say.

So Tahir’s worried. He can deal with that. He’s already learned how to handle the man fussing over his occasional, insignificant injuries. So it should be fine, except this is a whole different ballpark in ways he can barely articulate even to himself. Tahir’s not just worried about how he’s doing physically. He wanted to make sure he wasn’t feeling uncomfortable about a years-old mistake which, in all respects, was really his own damn fault.

He doesn’t have the slightest clue how to deal with that.

So he doesn’t deal with it at all.

“We should get back to the station,” he says, his voice light even though he can’t bring himself to look Tahir in the eye yet. “This paperwork isn’t gonna file itself.”

He can almost feel Tahir’s hesitation radiating off him in waves, but in the end he concedes with a sighed, “Alright”.

Here’s to hoping this never comes up again.

 


End file.
